2
And then, the day after an icy chilling of Ram’s mood and cold air:
Subaru yawned. “I’m sleepy, and it’s cold…wait, is that Beako?”
“Gross, I suppose.”
Waking early once again and walking down the empty hallway, Subaru encountered a girl in a dress shuffling down the way—Beatrice.
With her iconically elaborate sausage curls, she was the second-least suited to sneaking around in the mansion. (It need not be said, but the least suited was the master of the house himself.)
“Dude, what’re you doing up this early? I hope you didn’t pull an all-nighter. If you don’t sleep, you won’t grow up big and strong, and if you read in the dark, you’ll ruin your eyes.”
“Your criticisms are oblique and unwarranted, I suppose. My height and my sight are of no concern to you…and besides, I don’t have time to waste entertaining the likes of you. Now—get out of my sight.”
“Fine, I can take a hint. By the way, isn’t it, like, crazy cold today? It felt freezing yesterday, too, but it’s like another level colder today…”
“You can’t take any hints, I suppose! I said I don’t have time to waste entertaining you!”
Confused by the colder-than-yesterday weather, Subaru walked up to the wailing Beatrice. She was blatantly displeased, but Subaru snorted and opted to ignore her.
The sharp coldness in the air came from an icy draft that pierced the skin now and then. In the cloudiness out the window, the trees seemed to cry in pain with each shake of their leaves in the breeze.
“It’s easy to catch a cold when the seasons change, so you should be careful, Beako.”
“Hmph. You’ve no need to worry, I suppose. Betty is no weakling. Know your place, boy.”
“I’m not worried about you—more like, I don’t want to have to bother myself taking care of your sick ass. Your room’s so hard to find that your rice porridge will get cold, and poor Rem’s feelings will be hurt. At least try to be nice when you’re sick, you snotty little loli.”
“Why must I be criticized even in hypothetical situations, I wonder!”
Denounced in Subaru’s self-serving fantasy, Beatrice stomped in resentment. But she quickly regained her puffed-up composure, shooed her hand at Subaru as if he were an insect, and said, “Anyway, I am quite busy. Instead of complaining about the cold, you’re better off desperately doing your chores until you collapse, I suppose.”
“Busy, my ass. You’re just reading in your room… Oh, that’s an idea.”
“I’m going now.” Betty turned to walk away.
Subaru grabbed her shoulders and smiled. “You should help out with the chores sometimes. If you move your body, you’ll keep the cold at bay, and exercise decreases your risk of catching a cold, so that’s two birds with one stone—lucky you!”
Beatrice looked over her shoulder in annoyance and said, “Let me go. I’m busy—how many times must I tell you, I wonder?”
“Fine, fine, I can take a hint. I’ll tell Rozchi to give you some allowance if you help, so be a good little girl and pull the weeds in the yard.”
“Ngah?! You think that’s why I’m upset? Inconceivable! And listen to me for once! You need to stop messing around!”
Subaru picked up the red-faced Beatrice and began to carry her, kicking and screaming, down the hall. Strangely enough, she wasn’t fighting back with magic today. This perplexed Subaru, but he let it go since her lack of resistance suited him.
“Okay, let’s have a good run! With lots of energy—let’s blast the cold away!”
“Once you let me down, I’m blasting you away, I suppose!”
Holding the nearly erupting Beatrice in his arms, Subaru sprinted down the hall. And all day, Beatrice’s shrill screams echoed through the mansion.
No Comments Yet
Post a new comment
Register or Login